Potter update: Swans offer new contract to fend off Albion interest

The plot thickens. If anybody thought that Brighton and Hove Albion securing the services of Graham Potter from Swansea City as Chris Hughton’s replacement was going to straightforward, then they were gravely mistaken.

Having turned down the Albion’s initial approach to speak with their manager, the Swans are now attempting to fend off interest from Sussex by offering Potter a new and improved deal to remain at the Liberty Stadium.

Potter signed a three year contract when he arrived from Swedish side Ostersunds last summer. That deal is said to have a £3m release clause in it, which for reasons nobody seems to understand, the Albion are yet to meet.

Given that we’re happy to spend £7m on a player like Alexis Mac Allister who might not even be able to legally work in Britain, it seems mad that Tony Bloom is yet to stump up half of that to obtain the services of his number one managerial target.

Should the Albion actually meet that release clause, then they would be able to hold talks with Potter. Swansea are attempting to head that problem off by getting him to sign a new contract before that happens.

By putting a new deal on the table, they hope to convince Potter to stay in south Wales. Presumably, he will see an increase in wages following the commendable job he did in leading a rebuilt squad that lied heavily on talented young players to 10th spot in the Championship following the Swans relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2017-18 season.

If he is to stay at the Liberty Stadium, Potter wants assurances that he will have a suitable budget to work with and that the family silver won’t be sold from under him.

Welsh international Daniel James has already been heavily linked with Manchester United and Swansea have plenty of other saleable assets as they look to adjust financially after their seven season spell as a top flight club came to an end.

The situation is further complicated by Potter’s family situation. He is married with three children, one of whom is at school, and so he may have reservations about uprooting his entire family just a year after they went through the upheaval of moving from Sweden to Swansea.

Essentially, the ball is very much in Potter’s court. Should he turn this new deal from Swansea down, then the Albion will know he favours taking up the challenge of managing in the Premier League. All we need to do – and God knows why it hasn’t been done already – is pay the required money.

If, however, he decides to remain loyal to Swansea, keep his family settled and continue with his work on what looks to be a long term rebuilding project at the Liberty Stadium, then he’ll sign the new deal offered to him and the Albion will have to look towards other candidates. That would look like a spectacular cock up from the outside.

Two names have subsequently shortened in the betting with England women’s boss Phil Neville and Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder both receiving more than a few mentions.

Both of those seem unlikely at this stage however. Neville would presumably want to see through this summer’s World Cup with the Lionesses given that they have a very strong chance of winning it, which would mean he entered the history books as the only manager alongside Sir Alf Ramsey to win a World Cup with a senior England side.

That would mean he wouldn’t be available to take over at the Amex until potentially after the final which takes place on July 7th.

Waiting until there is just one month until the start of the Premier League campaign kicks off to have a new manager in charge wouldn’t be the best preparation for what already appears to be a hugely challenging season for the Albion.

As for Wilder, he’s a born and bred Sheffield United fan who has just lived every Blades’ dream of taking them from League One to the top flight in three seasons. There’s more chance of Harvey Weinstein being voted International Man of the Year than there is of him swapping Bramall Lane for the Albion.

No, the next move in the hunt for Hughton’s successor is all Potter’s. We wait to see what he decides.